VP Taylor Actualizes Dismissal Threat Against Non-CDC Officials?

Several Bong Local Officials “dismissed” for not Joining the party

Many local officials in Bong County have lost their jobs and have now been replaced by stalwarts of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) allegedly on orders of electoral district #3 Representative, Josiah Marvin Cole. Their dismissal comes in the wake of recent veiled threats by Vice President Taylor to dismiss non party members from positions in government.

Some of those replaced by CDC partisans are the Labor Commissioner of Bong County, Jackson Kwegbian replaced by CDC Sayblee Weyea, Agriculture Coordinator for Bong County, Roland Varkeh replaced by CDC Kollie Nah, the County Inspector, replaced by CDC Victor Wesseh and Commerce Inspector replaced by CDC Pauline Sarlie.

“The fact that some of you who sitting here, are not members of the Coalition, but we have nothing in our hearts against you because I would have removed everybody, replaced you with people I trust and believe would work with us, because you would have done same to me had you been in power” adding, “this is my time, because I served as opposition for 12 years,” Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor told the residents recently in emotionally charged remarks.

Residents believe it is because of the Vice President’s inclination to dismiss local officials who are not part of the CDC that Rep. Cole gained strength to replaced those he had targeted. Some maintained that the Vice President has the Constitutional right to bring on board those she satisfied with.

The Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor has also asked local chiefs to join the ruling CDC or be replaced.

Mrs. Taylor who also suggested that it is biblical, unacceptable, why two cannot walk together if they do not agree; asking members of the local government in Bong County to either join the ruling CDC or be replaced. In justifying her stance on the matter, Vice President Howard Taylor sought reliance from the Scriptures, quoting from the Book of Amos 3:3, which states, “can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?”

Mrs. Taylor informed the chiefs that the CDC will be holding political meetings and these gatherings must be attended only by the partisans. Mrs. Taylor further told those inducted officials that it is unbearable for the government to work with people with whom she does not share the same political philosophy.

“The Bible says can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction. For us to agree, we must be on the same side so if you think you cannot make it, tell us, we will find somebody else to replace you.

Similar actions were taken during the Unity Party (UP) regime where people were made to join the ruling establishment at the time. “You all will join because other people joined the UP so I am waiting for you to travel to your districts to tell me you have joined the ruling party,” Mrs. Taylor ordered the chiefs.

She maintained that trust is paramount and she would not be confident to express herself in the midst of non-members of the Coalition.

It was shortly after the VP statement, that Rep. Cole took the decision to unilaterally remove those officials from their respective posts, thus sending a clear message of competing poles of power with President Weah on one hand and Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor on the other hand.

According to a prominent lawyer (name withheld), the power to appoint and dismiss public officials rests squarely in the purview of the President and not that of the Vice President nor that of a member of the Legislature, the lawyer observed. It can be recalled that Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor publicly apologized to President Weah following reports that she and President Weah had been at odds over her unapproved frequent travels abroad

But with this latest dismissal action which some Bong County officials claim is instigated by Vice President Taylor without the approval of President Weah, it appears that Vice President Taylor’s apologies to President Weah, may have been insincere according to the officials.

22 COMMENTS

Wow ! And just wow! This is totally unacceptable behavior of a person of her status ! Her behavior goes to tell you that she is a totalitarian, a dictator and this leaves me to wonder if she did not play a role in Taylor’s actrocities in wiping out most of his “advasaries”! She is supposed a vice president of Liberia , yet with a divisive attitude promoting hate mongoring and intolerance! This woman is much more wicked then Charles Taylor himself! She even threatened chiefs to join the CDC or be dismissed!!! As far as I remember, chiefs don’t necessarily have to be members of the ruling party!
Is this the tolerance the CDC promised ? This is Republic of Liberia, not Republic of CDC!

So if you are not a member of CDC party you cannot be a government official? She even went as far as using/misquoting the Bible to justify her “party cleansing” policy. How bad can this get? Only in Liberia and few other Banana Republics this will happen and folk believe it’s acceptable of a government official!

This woman has a far reaching agenda! I don’t even think Weah can control her!

Do you understand what a coalition is, Ernest? Whether she is a member of her husband party or not, NPP is part of the coalition and they are covered. Members of the Coalition are exception to the VP Statement.

Steve, I do understand what coalition is, but in our country, and in our constitution, the VP or representative do not make any political appointment, so she is very wrong by threaten those poor people. She also forgot her boss where he made a speech to a group of people, I believe in a church, and he told them that we wanted to higher the most qualified person for the job and not CDC only.

Alex, there is noting in the constitution that require any political party members/representative to dismiss any civil servants. But in a country like ours, everything can happen. It is also within the power of the president to appoint and dismiss, but most civil servant serve at the will of the country, not the president. But appointed position served at the will of the President and so they can be dismiss for any reason.

The current wave of political dismissal speaks volume of the intent of CDC for the future of Liberia. Given the multi-party democratic institutions of Liberia and the fact that the Liberian Government is the largest employer in the Nation, the latest decision to rid local government officials of non-partisans is unconstitutional and posses a threat to national job security. I have always admired Jewel Howard Taylor, but her comments nowadays are becoming intolerant and dictatorial.

My people , I thought Georgie was the lead vocalist in this popular music band, but by the look of things, our “second” lady’s voice is getting louder and louder than the lead singer. It’s high time the lead ambassador adjusted his pitch! This is not good for the country. Sidelining officials (local or not) based on partisan affiliation as well as instilling fear in local chiefs is inconsistent with democratic values!
If this continues, the security aparatus might even be instructed to persecute/go after non CDC (actually NPP) partisans! Say no to this ! Like the saying goes : wen you hold day snake hay, day balance one da rope! If they start from officials, this will be extended to common people (non CDC/NPP partisans). Take note!

The Bible says this, the Bible says that….
We should never mixed politics and religion. The two are like apples and oranges. Mixing them is as dangerous and toxic, that can erode the foundation of a civil society.

Politics is based on civil judgement; religion is based on beliefs.

Our Honorable VP is taken a decision based on what her belief tells her. To her Excellency Madam VP, can we separate Church and state for a moment? Other poor Liberian who are not members of the CDC, have families to be fed. Maybe I m wrong, but is it not the same Bible says, we should look out for the poor and those in need?

I may be wrong again, but I thought the Republic of Liberia is a NATION?
Just my opinion

Well, this is not news to me. When you sleep with the devil, you wake up with the devil. This f..king whoa is just as power hungry and dictatorial just like her boss, George Weah and her husband Charles Taylor. As I mentioned in my last posing, Liberians prepare yourself for a long tyrannical and dictatorial government. This train needs to hit head on or else we will be heading down the ugly path we came from. Liberians be ware what you wish for.

In every country around the World, when new administration comes onboard the old administration is replaced with people who the new administration trust and can work with. Politics is interest so that is how it works. Do you expect all of those who fought CDC day and night to remain in power and those who walked doors to doors, village to village, counties to counties to sit there and look in the air? I don’t know if that is what you consider dictatorship by the VP. Do you know what would have happened if Unity Party had won election in Liberia? Did we have election in Liberia to win and keep the same old people in power? I don’t think we should have CDcians roaming around the country without job after winning the election and keep all these Unity party and other opposition officials on board.

Your reasoning is partially justifiable that it is expected that CDC officials occupy most of the vacancies. However, in the spirit of solidarity and in the name of democratic values some of these officials should be left in their various posts. We cannot accurately predict what Joseph Boakai’s UP would have done (and NO I am not affiliated with UP or any other party ).He might likely have been more cautious in making such decisions and even if he did (assuming he would really go that far), he might not have blown it loud on the trumpet , threatening chiefs and implementing an “either you’re with CDC or out” attitude. From what I know of Joseph Boakai, he is a man of tradition and would never have threatened any chiefs forcing them to join the UP or else….Or, are you also implying that it is ok to harass traditional chiefs who don’t necessarily have to have any partisan affiliation with the ruling party? This lady has openly intimidated and minimized the chiefs, reducing them into powerless laughing stock before the very eyes of the communities they govern. By the way, what is the true definition of a CDCian (blanket designation)? Do we include those who crossed the “Jordan River” at the last minute when they saw Pharoah was about to fall (not meant to offend or spark a religious debate , am just being figurative) ? Or, simply put , do we consider all those greedy ,professional career carpet crossing CDCians who joined/jumped over to drink and lick their share of the “milk and honey” to be CDCians?

For those of you who have eaten eddoe/taro soup, you know how the buttom is hot. We are just seeing the top of this soup. If you dip deeper into this bowl of eddoe soup, you will measure the true volcanic temperature ! Beware! Don’t be surprised when ATU is resurected to beat none NPP partisans into submission !

To be honest, those who saw the light at the beginning of the tunnel and crossed carpet to CDC are considered to me gravy seeking CDcians. They came to grab jobs and everyone knows. They are not true CDCians and should not have had the kind of consideration they have today. CDC has given more jobs to opposition than its own regular members EG: Ministry of Information, Transport, Foreign Affairs, GSA, Internal Affairs the list goes on and on.

Until vice president Jewel Howard-Taylor and ground commander Marvin Cole understand, the Republic of Liberia is not a one party state and the CDC is NOT the Republic of Liberia, they’re ready to repeat the ugly chapter in the history of Liberia under her ex-president regime. The VP and Cole have forgotten when they the NPFL carried out summary executions of civil servants during the administration of the late president Doe who were focused to join the NDPL? The emerging dictatorship actions of VP and Cole must immediately claim the attention of the president, otherwise, the Weah-Taylor led government will soon be history.
Until Marvin Cole decides to be representative OR minister of internal affairs, director of employment services, ground commander and bulldog of the vice president, they were learn their lesson soon and immediately stop repeating chapters from the NPP regime. Liberia is not a one-party state and non-appointed officials and civil servants must not be forced CDC party and not citizens for that matter. THIS IS HOW THE TALIBANS OPERATE, YOU EITHER JOIN OR HEAD OFF.
The people of Liberia and the world watching VP Taylor and her Bulldog Cole experiment with the NPFL model in Bong County for the CDC. THE WARNING IS ON THE WALL.

TO ALL READERS PLEASE READ THIS PIECE FROM A DAUGHTER OF BONG COUNTY
““We Say NO To ‘One-Party State” -A Memo from Gbatala to Veep Jewel Howard Taylor
By The Parrot News – May 27, 2018 1606 0
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WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY
Dear Madame Jewel Howard Taylor;

My name is Gbatala, a proud and indigenous daughter of Bong County—where you maternally originate from, and with the magnanimity of the unassuming people of our County, you would move on to serve as Senator at the Legislature for two uninterrupted terms. They also backed and polished your Vice Presidential bid in a very massive way—gifting you with about 63% of the total votes in Bong County, the place you called home but have yet to build a House of your own.

So, in effect, the kind people of Bong country have been incredibly gracious, loyal and supportive, and all they rightfully demand in return is gratitude and respect; but disappointment, disillusionment and disdain are what they get from you in return for their invaluable benevolence. SAD!

Madame Vice President, this memo comes to serve as an appropriate and timely response to the unabashed pomposity, arrogance and sheer grandstanding displayed by you in the full glare of distinguished elders, Zoes, men, women and youth of Bong County recently. From where you get the motivation to do such a despicable and obnoxious thing, certainly remains a mystery and I should add, beats my imagination to say the least.

Madame Taylor, when our homogeneous people accord you the honor of gathering in their full complement, it is no doubt a profoundly extraordinary opportunity you must seize and leverage on to the best of your ability. It is a golden chance you must appropriately maximize and in the same realm, demonstrate leadership, character and maturity. It’s this moment wise leaders seek for to hold refreshing and essential conversation with their constituents as well as rekindle the hope and confidence of their people and solicit their cooperation—in a very professional and respectful way.

Madam Vice President, I still cannot fathom that in this new age of democracy, political diversity and globalization, a young politician like you will be stuck in the callous ages of fiefdom, marred by unbridled bigotry. Quite frankly, I froze down and eventually became sickeningly appalled when I heard you courageously and shamelessly trumpeting your divisive and xenophobic rhetoric to the faces of our traditional leaders.

Madame, how dare you tell our distinguished Commissioners that the option is theirs to either choose to join the Coalition for Democratic Change(CDC) or be dismissed…WOW…how dare you issue our senior citizens such brazen insolence?

“It will be important for Commissioners of the County to join the CDC to avoid opposition undermining the progress of the CDC government. In fact, you people will join the CDC because Unity Party did the same thing. If you don’t want to join, tell me now but I look to your invitation to come to your districts and witness you join the CDC”, were your words to the leaders of Bong County. With all due respect Madame, only politicians who lack idea and strategy and less of the will and dexterity to competitively compete would speak in such paranoid and ridiculous manner.

Madame Vice President, from your comments, you are ultimately suggesting that Liberia returns to “One-Party State”—at a time when our democracy is fast evolving and the majority of the Liberian people are substantially being propelled from gullibility to democratic consciousness and political enlightenment.

Madame, you are seeking a “One-Party” State at a time our media community has essentially developed and has become fiercely progressive, spectacularly aggressive and a resilient crusader against socio-economic injustices and other societal anomalies, while our civil society community has transformed into an unshakable bastion of rights advocacy, devout champion of democratic freedoms and campaigner of uncompromised transparency and accountability in the governance system of the country.

Madam Taylor and my fellow ‘Bongee’, you are suggesting a “One-Party State” at a time our National Election Commission (NEC) had recorded over 22 political parties and counting in the just ended 2017 presidential and legislative elections, thus unraveling a radical paradigm shift in the democratic evolution of Liberia—echoing to the world that Liberia is a ‘multi-party’ democracy and a nation that has firmly embraced civility over savagism.

Perhaps, you have forgotten that since the historic demise of the notorious and unpopular Grand True Whig Party (TWP), “One-Party State” politics has been crushed, and decimated along with its cruel tendencies, plunged into the abyss of history. Advancing the notion of a “One-Party” rule at a time Liberia’s democracy and its intriguing values are flourishing is not only inconceivable and an absolute absurdity, but an abomination that will be met with blistering venom and fire-power from the full complement of the Liberian society.

Madam Vice President, it would seem to me and many others that you have the knack for controversy, because for the most part of your political career, you have been mired into a myriad of unnecessary controversies—and quite frankly, bringing upon yourself public rage for making inappropriate comments like the one you just made in Gbarnga. Do you always have to be in the press for the reasons that will spark public resentment?

Were you not the same one who unwisely and ill-advisedly embarked on a vague and futile campaign to “Christianize Liberia” in sheer disregard for the Liberian constitution which firmly guarantees religious freedom amongst Liberians? Your campaign was aimed at alienating Muslims and people with other faiths in Liberia—all in the name of amassing favor from the majority Christian community as the 2017 election was nearing. This was certainly one of your injudicious and counterproductive actions that drew ire and caused you cascading public condemnation.

Everyone had thought that with the scale of bruises you sustained from the angry public at the time, you would have learned your lesson and repositioned yourself in a more dignified and appealing manner especially now that you are the Vice President of the Republic, but it seems you never disappoint anyone when it comes to fanning and peddling hullabaloos.

I, Gbatala of the great Bong County, know fully well that good leaders will not aspire to divide, marginalize and subvert people; but rather foster togetherness and diversity, champion peace and tranquility and promote the well-being of their fellowmen.

Madame Vice President, I should state in no uncertain term that Bong County will not surrender—at any point in time—to your vicious and hawkish instincts and your callous maneuverings. No, we will NOT! Bong county and its people will not succumb to your devilish whims and caprices—no Madame, our county will not be used as a launching path to disintegrate the country in the name of effectuating political vendetta and witch-hunt.

Madame, you are already at the helm of power, it is time to be welcoming, courteous and compassionate; not selfish, cantankerous and insensitive!

By the way, didn’t your Boss, President George Manneh Weah admonished you and all officials of this administration to encourage diversity and unity in government; that Liberians must not be recruited in government on the basis of their political affiliations and discrimination should not be encouraged in government? He issued this admonishment in the Dominion Christian Fellowship Church at an intercessory service held in his honor, stating; “I am instructing all my officials to recruit people in government based on their qualification and not their political affiliations. Whether you are from Unity Party, Liberty Party, All Liberian Party and all other parties, we are all Liberians, as such; we must all work together for the advancement of our country despite our political differences”.

Did you not hear him make these resounding and illuminating comments on the altar of the Dominion Church? By the way, you were present that day and even cheered him up. Or was it a mere rhetoric from the mouth of the President? Because it is just three months since he made these fascinating comments and his Vice President, Jewel Howard Taylor, the rising ‘BIGOT’, is publicly threatening Commissioners of her county to join the CDC or face the consequences of dismissal.

Many thought that after demeaning and chastising yourself by publicly apologizing to your Boss for disorderly conduct or if you may, gross insubordination, you would have gone to Bong County to make GOOD news but then you chose to shoot yourself in the foot again with a BAD NEWS, again bringing upon yourself sizzling public indignation.

Madame Vice President, did you know that your milestone rise to the Vice Presidency, the second most powerful position and to be specific, the FIRST female Vice President of the Liberian republic, is simply because former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was gracious and politically tolerant? If it wasn’t for the profound generosity of EJS, your dream for the Vice Presidency would have turned out to be a fiasco dumped in the garbage bin.

Madame Vice President, I have to say that the hilarious and disturbing comments you recently made in Gbarnga clearly justify the international travel ban that was imposed on you and others for almost ten years. In fact, it was the very EJS that lobbied to have the ban lifted and ensured that your freedom restored to you. I hope you realized by now that those comments have plainly revealed to the Liberian people the hatred and anti-peace instincts flowing through your blood vessels.

And may I inform you, that the international community can re-impose an even rigid sanction on you should they find that you have motive to endanger the peace of the country and further disintegrate the Liberian people. Don’t forget that they are aware that you declared during the recent Election debate that the “Taylor Agenda” will be brought back on the table. That statement again spurred huge public criticism and nearly crippled the ticket of you and President Weah.

Just the mere fact that you are deemed an international nuisance who cannot travel freely to America and some European countries, many thought that with such glorious opportunity afforded you by the Liberian people, you would try at reinventing the wheels and recalibrating your broken reputation, as a person accused of conniving and colluding with former President Charles Taylor to commit a plethora of brutal excesses against the defenseless people of Liberia.

Let me make it abundantly clear Madame, that marginalization, discrimination, witch hunting, division, stereotyping and bigotry can no longer suffice in our country; we are aware that acrimonious people like you will find the courage and dexterity to advance these depravities but along the way you will be exposed and defeated by the fierce will of the Liberian people.

Our democracy is growing stronger by the day, the Liberian people have courageously departed from timidity and passivity and arrived at the doors of democratic consciousness, hence; these historical evils can no longer find their way and permeate the Liberian society. Bigotry and its attending tendencies have simply got no place in Liberia and will not be tolerated by the people of Liberia any more. For those of you foreshadowing these evils, shame and disgrace would simply be you reward.

Finally, let me encourage you Madame Vice President to do the most honorable thing, which is to rescind those horrendous comments and publicly apologize to the nation, and particularly, the people of Bong County for the brazen disrespect publicly thrown at them. The nation is ashamed of you, hence do yourself the favor of apologizing and seeking the people forgiveness. And may I again respectfully entreat you to try as hard as possible to be in the press for the RIGHT reasons not the WRONG reasons any longer! A hint to the wise is quite enough!”

I am GBATALA, a proud daughter of Bong County; I trust you will take my memo in good faith!

Did I hear u saying unacceptable?my brother, let us accept what ever come out of this government. Madam Taylor never hide the plans of this government. once upon a time, in lofa,this same VP said they were bringing back the Taylor agenda .we heard that and still we voted them so we shouldn’t complaint because that is six years we are going for so.more to out off this government. CDC all the way.All opposition most vote CDC for the second terms

Nothing much to say, we were wrong n they were right, we will pray for the will of God to be done so the ordinary person can find something to provide for their family. No matter what God is on the throne.

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